Alfred's Deathbed Confession
by asad.jaleel
Summary: Alfred reveals a shocking Wayne family secret.


5

 **A Family Secret: A Batman Story**

It was Stage Four pancreatic cancer. The doctors and the hospital had struggled valiantly, but there was nothing more to be done for Alfred Pennyworth.

Alfred was lying in bed, but still quite lucid. The pain was incredible, but he had been a soldier and a field surgeon. He had on a thin white hospital gown. His gray hair had been sparse before, but radiation left his totally bald.

Bruce was wearing a fine black Italian suit and he had shaved his face close. He would have been more comfortable in his training clothes, but he wanted to look composed and clean-cut for Alfred.

"How are you holding up Alfred?"

"Oh, you know, about as well as can be hoped. These doctors, I never wish to speak ill of anyone, but some are such imbeciles. Ah well. You look splendid, Master Bruce."

"Thanks. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, but one thing does remain. Master Bruce, you need to listen to me. Your parents . . .I mean Martha and Thomas. They hit a rough patch about a year before you were born. Their marriage wasn't working. Thomas was working long hours at the hospital. Martha was very lonely. There was a time when I kept her company."

"You kept her company?"

"We were, umm, uhh, we were intimate."

A long awkward silence passed.

"Did Father, I mean, did Thomas know?" Bruce spoke slowly, uncharacteristically hesitant.

"Yes, well, we never spoke of it. But he had to know. For that entire year, they slept in separate rooms."

"Alfred, why couldn't you tell me?" His eyes searched Alfred.

"Master Bruce, I wanted to tell you, I wanted to so desperately. But after the murder, you were so young. You were not ready and you were already dealing with too much grief. And then you went away, but of course you did. And then you took up the cowl and it became out of the question."

"What do you mean?"

"Bruce, you needed the lie. You needed Thomas to be your father. More importantly, Gotham City needed the lie. How could I take that away – your need for justice, your need to make things right?"

"Damnit, Alfred, I'm not a child anymore! I could have handled it. I could have adjusted. Why would you keep it a secret for so long?" Bruce held his head in his hands, his wavy black hair caught in his fingers. He was unable to process what he was hearing.

"Bruce, I come from a different time from yours. A butler occupied a position of trust. There was a code of honor. You absolutely could not violate that. I was ashamed of what I had done to Thomas. I felt despicable."

Bruce stood firm, his feet planted solidly on the floor. He put his hands on his hips as he faced Alfred.

"So I am not a Wayne? The last name, this house, the company, all the money – none of it is mine, or none should be."

"Look, there is no need to be ridiculous. Whether you became extraordinarily wealthy by virtue of your father or by virtue of an untruth makes no difference. You took that money and became the savior of millions. You gave up your nights for your city. That is what matters now and what will matter to history." Alfred looked at him head-on, as if looking through him.

"Did you feel, I mean, did you love her?" Bruce questioned, fighting back tears.

"Yes, Bruce, I did. She was remarkable. She was the one true love of my life. I never wanted anyone else after her."

"Alfred, Father, I, I, I don't know what to say."

"Bruce, you don't have to say anything. I want you to know that I am truly proud, in fact, I could not imagine being more proud of the man you have become. And please, never worry that you let anyone down. The respect and compassion you have showed me for your whole life: I could not ask for more."

"You're the only one who never left me. Whatever I've done, whatever I've been able to do – you made it all possible. I love you."

"I love you too, son."

The two men felt their eyes fill with tears as they embraced. Alfred was too weak to get up but he wrapped his arms around Bruce as well as he could. With a heavy heart and his eyes fixed on the floor, Bruce Wayne walked out of the hospital room. He felt so many emotions at once. He felt guilt for not treating Alfred better. He felt anger at Alfred for not being honest with him. Yet more than anything else, he felt sympathy for Alfred.

Three days later, on a rainy September morning, Alfred Pennyworth left this world.


End file.
